The Ties that Bind
by Kaori-chan3
Summary: Inu Yasha finds a person from his past who is also in possession of Shikon shards! *not yet done*
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer: I do not in ANY way own Inu Yasha or the characters in the story (except for the ones I've made up). This is a fabrication of my imagination so don't be angry if it doesn't follow the storyline that much.**

**And for those of you who aren't familiar (or only vaguely familiar) with the anime or the manga, here is a brief summary of the story. Kagome is a 15-year old girl who lives in modern day Tokyo. On her 15th birthday, she is pulled through the Bone-eater's well by a demon and travels back in time to Japan's Sengoku Jidai (or age of warring states) about 500 or so years ago. It is here that she meets Inu-Yasha, a half-demon (or hanyou) who tried to steal a powerful jewel, the Shikon no Tama, in order to become a full demon. However, the priestess who guarded the jewel, Kikyou, used an arrow to trap Inu Yasha magically before she herself died from fatal injuries. She had the jewel cremated with her, and now Kagome, who is the re-incarnation of Kikyou, has brought the jewel back to the Sengoku Jidai 50 years later, and releases Inu Yasha from the entrapment spell. Not long after this the jewel is shattered, and Inu Yasha is forced to pair up with Kagome (against his will) in order to collect the shards. This story takes place after Inu Yasha and Kagome have met Miroku (a monk), Sango (a youkai hunter), and Shippo (a fox demon). They are all searching for the Shikon shards so they can complete the jewel before the evil Naraku does.**

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**~*Prologue*~**

"Kagomeeeee… I'm tired. Can we stop for tonight?" whined the little kitsune as he held on tightly onto Kagome's arm. "And I'm really hungry… did you bring anymore of your yummy noodles?" 

Kagome let out a slight giggle as she stopped and placed her tiny companion onto the ground. "I don't see why we can't stop for a little while… does anyone object?" 

"I think it would be a good idea as well" chimed Miroku, "besides, I think Sango is tired from carrying around her boomerang all day." 

It was true, her boomerang, the Hiraikotsu, was very big and very heavy. It was made out of the bones of demons that she had defeated in the past. But she was strong enough to carry it, her training sought to that. Sango blushed slightly at the sound of her name escaping the monk's lips. Though she'd never admit it she cared deeply for the monk, even when he was being a pervert. 

"Well I don't think we should stop," barked Inu Yasha, "we still have a lot of the shards to find and we don't want Naraku getting ahead of us." 

Shippo made a face at the hanyou "Nyah, you're nothing but a slave driver." 

In an instant the fierce half-demon grabbed the little kitsune and began to pound him over the head "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" He emphasized each word with a hit to the little youkai's head. 

"Owwwwwww!!!" squealed Shippo as he desperately tried to escape from Inu Yasha's grasp. 

"Inu Yasha! Stop being mean to Shippo-chan… he's tired and so am I. Let's stop for tonight ok?" 

Kagome flashed a gentle smile toward him that seemed to melt the icy-cold stare from his eyes. He released the fox tyke without a second thought and sat next to the fire that the monk had already started. Kagome planted herself next to the abrasive half-demon as she began making everyone's dinner, which consisted of ramen noodles and potato chips. Inu Yasha looked over toward his comrades. Sango and Miroku seemed to be arguing again, no doubt over his ever wandering eye and roaming hands. Shippo was curled up contentedly next to Kagome. 

_Kagome…_

He watched her with intense eyes, taking in every part of her form. From the way her hair fell around her face to the way she sat on the ground, nothing escaped Inu Yasha's ever-watchful eyes. And then there was her scent. 

_So gentle… it feels like… home._

Inu Yasha breathed a sigh of relief at the thought of home. He'd spent most of his life on his own, taking care of himself and ONLY himself. Now he found himself worrying about others… taking care of others… risking his life to save theirs. Especially Kagome. He'd do anything for that girl though he'd never say it out loud. Slowly, but surely, Kagome was breaking down the walls the hanyou had built over the years. He didn't know when it happened but only that it did. And it felt nice to finally be able to trust someone enough again… to feel like he belonged somewhere. The last time he felt like that was when he was a child… with _her._

"Inu Yasha…? Earth to Inu Yasha? Are you even listening to me!?" 

The dog-demon broke out of his trance and looked wildly at Kagome, "What are you screaming about Kagome?!" 

"I was just wondering if you wanted food you jerk! You didn't have to yell at me…" 

Tears began to well up in Kagome's eyes and Inu Yasha's heart sank, "Oh no… don't cry. No crying allowed!" 

"Then why did you yell at me," sobbed Kagome, "do you really hate me that much?" 

_Kagome… I could NEVER hate you…_

"I never said that did I you stupid girl… I was just…" Inu Yasha's tone dropped and his face grew somber all of a sudden, "I was just thinking about something that's all." 

Kagome cocked her head to one side as she watched the hanyou intensely. If he was anything he was confusing that much was for sure. She tried desperately to get Inu Yasha to open up to her, but it always felt as if he didn't trust her. 

_What in the world is that boy thinking… _

By this time Sango and Miroku had stopped their bickering and focused their attention on the half-demon as well. Even the little youkai was listening intently. All eyes were on Inu Yasha, which always made him feel uncomfortable. 

"Why are you all staring at me?!" he screamed. 

"Come on Inu Yasha, tell us what you were thinking about," prodded Kagome as she inched closer to him, "pleeeeeeeease." 

She looked up at him with pleading eyes and nodded her head slowly as if to say to him "come on you can do it." _Feh…_ he thought, _why are they so interested all of a sudden._ His thoughts were his alone. If he wanted to wallow in his memories then they should let him. What business was it of theirs what he thought of? He crossed his arms defiantly and looked away gruffly. 

"Why do you all care anyway?" 

Kagome's eyes softened and when she spoke her gentle tone always calmed him, "Because Inu Yasha, we're your friends and we want to know what goes on in that crazy mind of yours. Besides, you NEVER talk about yourself, so now it's your turn." 

Kagome seemed almost happy at the prospect of hearing about his past. She inched closer to him until her knees were resting alongside his leg. Her hands lay peacefully on his lap as she eagerly awaited Inu Yasha to break the silence. Inu Yasha looked at Kagome as if she was going to attack him, she'd never been that close to him before. Sure they had hugged in the past but… it wasn't like this. This feeling sent shivers up and down the dog-demon's spine. It was nice. He liked it. And with that he smiled and began to talk. 

"Her name… was Akemi." 

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	2. Scroll 1: The Story Unfolds

**Disclaimer: Again, I do not in ANY way own Inu Yasha or the characters in the story (except for the ones I've made up). This is a fabrication of my imagination so don't be angry if it doesn't follow the storyline that much.**

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**Scroll 1: The story unfolds.**

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Kagome practically fell over at the mention of another girl's name. How many girls has this boy had in his lifetime anyway?! He was infuriating! There were times Kagome questioned why she even cared about him anyway. _"He's nothing but a two-timer,"_ she thought, _"no, I take that back… three timer…"_

Inu Yasha looked over at the blank expression on Kagome's face, "Ka… Kagome? Are you alright?" 

"… Eh…" 

The demon exterminator leaned forward and waved her hand frantically in front of her companion's face. "Uh, Kagome-san," spoke Sango, "is everything ok?" 

Kagome's eye twitched a few times before she could answer her friend, "I'm fine Sango… just fine." The girl regained her composure within a matter of seconds and sat up facing Inu Yasha once more. Her hands had moved from his lap to her own this time, "Continue Inu Yasha, tell us about this old girlfriend of yours." 

Inu Yasha blinked a few times as his ears moved back and forth atop his head, "Girl… girlfriend?" 

"Come now Inu Yasha, don't be shy. It's okay if this Akemi girl was your girlfriend, you can tell us," the lecherous monk nudged the hanyou as if he were implying something that only the two of them knew about. 

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT YOU LECH! AKEMI WASN'T MY GIRLFRIEND!" yelled Inu Yasha. 

"Oh, then what was she?" asked Shippo. 

"Well I'd tell you all if you stop… JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS!" 

Kagome, Sango, and Miroku looked on wide-eyed and curious. Miroku inched closer to Sango as if asking for protection from the demon exterminator, whose skills would be greatly needed should Inu Yasha decide to go crazy and suddenly attack the monk. Kagome sat in silence. She chided herself for doubting Inu Yasha. She had grown so used to him talking about his "ex" love Kikyou that she now thought that any woman he mentioned must have been some sort of former lover. Though not all former lovers came back from the dead to cast their revenge upon the world like Kikyou did, but she was an extreme case. The others stared at Kagome as she mumbled incoherently to herself and furrowed her brow as if she was thinking hard about something. Inu Yasha was confused most of all because every now and then she'd glance up at him before going back to her ranting. 

"Uh.. Kagome? Are you done yet cuz I'd like to finish the story that you were so interested in hearing." 

"Hrm? Oh, yes… aheh, I'm sorry Inu Yasha, you can continue." 

"As I was saying…" 

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"Father! You must stop fighting! You can't keep this up!" screamed the young kitsune as she knelt by her father's side. 

"I… I must keep going," proclaimed the wounded man, "I cannot let Naraku claim these Shikon shards." 

The man held out his hand to reveal four sparkling jewel fragments. He handed them to his daughter's shaky hands, "You must run as far away as you can. Do not allow Naraku to complete the Shikon no Tama!" 

His gentle brown eyes pleaded with the young girl as his sandy brown hair whipped violently around his face. For now the pair was concealed within the confines of the forest, but Naraku was on the hunt and he would soon find them. The battle-scarred man pushed his daughter away from him, "Get away now! Please honor your father's dying wish." The girl's intense green eyes sparkled with the tears that were forming within them. She began to back away slowly, not really wanting to leave knowing that her father would soon meet his end. Her father jumped back into battle against the deranged Naraku. He had shifted back into his true form, a fox, once again. The lithe figure dashed about the man covered in baboon's fur. The swift fox successfully dodged many of the harmful attacks. 

"Give me the shards Tsuyo and perhaps I'll let you live longer!" 

"Never Naraku! I may be a youkai but I'd never help you!" 

"Then perhaps if I told you that I'd let your precious daughter live. Would that be enough to convince you to HAND OVER THE SHARDS!" 

Naraku's patience grew thin as he charged at the lone warrior upon the field. The girl could only watch in horror as her father tried desperately to attack the crazed demon. His eyes gazed back at the forest for a moment where he saw his daughter, still watching the battle. 

_Daughter… get out of here!_

The female kitsune nodded farewell to her father as she turned on her heel to leave. As she made her way through the underbrush she heard something uttered from Naraku's mouth that caught her attention. 

"Tsuyo! Would you rather have a filthy hanyou get the shards of the jewel?!" 

"At least it wouldn't be you… at least with a 'filthy' hanyou there is still a chance that the jewel wouldn't be tainted with hate. And at least a hanyou with the shards has a chance at defeating you!" 

The fox attacked viciously at Naraku. "HA! That insolent puppy is nothing compared to me. Though he HAS been a thorn in my side from the first day I've heard his name. No matter now though," Naraku's attention had shifted back to Tsuyo, "I will deal with you first!" 

Naraku dispelled his miasma attack upon the youkai. Within moments the only thing the girl could hear was a pitiful yelp that came from her father. But she couldn't help but think about what Naraku had said before that about a hanyou who had been bothersome to Naraku, one of dog descent no less. There was only one hanyou that the girl knew of that would cause so much trouble. 

_Could it be… Inu Yasha!_

She raced off through the forest leaving the sounds of the battle behind her. Her mind was focused on one thought only, to find Inu Yasha! 

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	3. Scroll 2: WaterColored Memories

**View previous chapters for disclaimer.**

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**Scroll 2: Water-colored memories.**

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"Get out of here you stinking half-breed! We don't want your kind around here!" 

Inu Yasha stood there in the courtyard hurt by the words the other boys said to him, yet he remained firm in his resolve. "I don't have to leave!" he shouted to them, when deep down all he wanted to do was run to his mother and throw himself into her arms, shutting out the rest of the world. He didn't have any friends… and THAT hurt him above anything else. 

"Didn't you hear us dog boy?" shouted one of the much larger boys, "we said LEAVE!" 

The boy picked up a large rock that he hurled toward the little hanyou. Inu Yasha winced as he waited for it to hit him; he never liked to run away from those boys, he'd rather show them how tough he was. But much to his surprise the rock never hit him. Inu Yasha opened his eyes cautiously to see what happened only to find a person was standing directly in front of him. She had caught the rock before it even reached its intended target. 

"Who do you think you are defending that filthy hanyou?!" the boy screamed as he marched up to the girl who was guarding Inu Yasha. She was clearly several inches shorter than the boy was, yet she stood her ground, firmly placing herself in between the young Inu Yasha and the large human boy. 

"Oh I get it," the boy exclaimed in a nonchalant way, "YOU'RE a hanyou too." He had finally noticed the girl's pointy ears and bushy tail, "What are you anyway, half kitsune?" 

"Yeah, what of it?" she answered gruffly, her cute voice however took away much of the anger she intended. 

"Looks like I'm going to have to teach you a lesson as well…" the boy said as he cracked his knuckles as he swiftly reached his fist back in order to punch the girl. As he swung forward his blow was firmly caught by the girl's hand. The boy's friends stared in amazement that a girl would have such strength against a much larger boy. Within moments they all ran away, leaving the boy alone to deal with the very angry vixen. 

"Wh… How?" stammered the boy as he futilely struggled against the girl. 

"Heh, how quickly you forget that I'm half-demon. So whether I'm a boy OR a girl, I'll still have more power than you ever will." 

With that said she pushed the boy away from her and laughed as he fell to the ground. She turned toward the young dog-demon and smiled mischievously, "Watch this…" She turned around once more to face the bully, "Hey, why don't you play with my doll for a while, she can keep you company till your friends get back." 

She threw a rag doll at the boy who sat stupefied on the ground. Just as he was about to catch it however, the girl snapped her fingers and the doll grew to ten times its normal size. 

>THUD!It landed squarely on top of the boy, pinning him to the Earth. Inu Yasha and the young vixen laughed heartily as they ran into the forest, leaving behind them the sight of the boy struggling underneath a huge doll. The finally stopped at a nearby clearing where they both toppled over, out of breath but still laughing. 

Inu Yasha was doubled over in laughter as he tried to ask his new friend a question, "How long do you think… _*giggle*_ do you think it'll take him to get that HUGE doll off his body?" The little hanyou couldn't help but continue to laugh as the mental image of the bully pinned under the doll remained in his mind. 

"Heh, just till he realizes that it's only an illusion _*giggle*_" replied the kitsune, amused that humans could be so easily duped. But then again, many demons had often fallen prey to the so-called "magic" of kitsune youkai. 

Inu Yasha blinked curiously, "You mean, that wasn't… real?" 

The girl shook her head innocently, "Nope, just an illusion. Though most can't tell the difference till after it's too late." 

Inu Yasha's eyes widened, "WOW! That's so cool! All I have are these claws." Inu Yasha demonstrated them by flexing his hand and slicing down a nearby sapling. 

"Hey, that's pretty cool too… at least you can defend yourself if you need to. My name's Akemi, what's yours?" 

"I… Inu Yasha." 

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The girl rushed through the forest at blinding speed. She held the Shikon shards in one hand tightly, while her other hand grasped the ragged chain around her neck. She remembered the day she made it… 

"Mommy, do you think that Inu Yasha will like this necklace I made him?" 

The little fox girl held up the necklace made of beads and shells to show her mother who was standing in the kitchen, "Yes Akemi, I'm sure he will like it very much." 

"Mommy, I'm gonna make one for me too that way we'll both have one and we'll never forget about each other." 

"That's a good idea sweetheart." 

Akemi's focus shifted back to reality once more as she went racing through the trees. 

_I'm coming Inu Yasha…_

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The hanyou remembered it all as if it happened yesterday. They always played together in the forest, away from the humans and other demons that always chased them away. It didn't even matter that Akemi was older (and taller) than he was, she was his first friend, and back then, his best friend. 

_What happened to you Akemi…_

Inu Yasha grabbed at something under his kimono and pulled it out slowly. It was an old necklace, made out of beads and shells, the half-demon grasped it tightly, "She made this for me, before she left. She said it was a symbol of our friendship and that I should keep it always so I could remember her." Inu Yasha looked down at the tattered chain as he spoke in a barely audible voice, "I wonder if you still have yours Akemi?" 

"So…" began Kagome, "she was like an older sister to you?" 

"Pretty much," replied Inu Yasha. 

"So where is she now?" asked Sango, just as intrigued by the story as Kagome and the others were. 

"I dunno… her father took her and her mother away a long time ago. I haven't heard from her since." 

"But… you surely must miss her?" queried Miroku. 

"Feh… I got used to it after a while. I had to be out on my own remember? My mother died a little bit after Akemi left so I didn't have time to miss anyone." 

"I… see," sighed the monk, "but you obviously think about her." 

"Yeah you must. Otherwise why would you keep the necklace?" added Sango. 

"I dunno…" Inu Yasha dodged the question as he looked around the camp. His eyes finally met Shippo's gaze. The young fox had stars in his eyes. They twinkled happily underneath the moonlit sky. 

"What?" Inu Yasha barked at Shippo. 

"Wow… your friend… she just seems so… COOL!" 

>sweat dropInu Yasha stared blankly at the fox tyke sitting on his lap. Shippo grabbed onto the hanyou's kimono tightly as he looked up at him, "Please tell me more stories about her!" 

"Maybe later Shippo… but if you wouldn't mind, I'd like it if you GOT OFF MY LAP!" 

As Inu Yasha's anger rose, his eyes met Kagome's. She signaled him to calm down and to not get angry at the little kitsune. The half-demon bit his tongue as the little fox kept rambling about Akemi. Inu Yasha looked at Kagome who had a happy grin upon her face. A smile crept upon the boy's face as well, _How does she do it?_ Inu Yasha thought, _How does she calm me down so quickly?_ He quickly changed his mood as Kagome took Shippo from Inu Yasha's lap. He mumbled something along the lines of "damn woman" as she walked away with the little fox. 

"It's time for bed Shippo, now off you go." 

The fox scurried along toward Kagome's sleeping bag and bundled himself inside it. He often slept with Kagome and Kagome didn't mind at all. For her it was like having a nice, fluffy, and warm stuffed animal to cuddle with. Though secretly, she hoped that someday she could cuddle with Inu Yasha like that. She giggled at the thought as she turned to look at Inu Yasha. 

"Inu Yasha?" 

"Yes Kagome?" the boy glanced sideways at the girl as she sat quietly next to him. 

"Thanks… for sharing a part of your history with me." She smiled again at him as she leaned her head against his shoulder. 

Inu Yasha blushed for a moment before he answered her, "Feh, wasn't a big deal." 

Kagome smiled at him again as she rose to her feet, "Goodnight Inu Yasha." As she turned to leave Kagome tripped over her own feet and fell right into Inu Yasha's lap. The half-demon blushed profusely as he looked down at the girl in front of him, her face no more than a few inches away from his. Kagome herself stared at Inu Yasha for several minutes, caught in the moment they shared. 

_Those eyes… so intense… what are they trying to say?_

"Kagome…" whispered Inu Yasha. 

_This is it! He's gonna say something sweet!_

"Yes Inu Yasha?" 

"Kagome… could you please get off my lap!" whined the half-demon, "You're sittin on the sword and it's poking me someplace I don't wanna be poked!" 

>sweat drop_So much for sweet…_

"If it hurt so much why didn't you say something sooner!" Kagome yelled at him as she jumped off his lap. 

"Because!" 

"Because what!?" 

"Just because!!" 

"Inu Yasha…" Kagome groaned loudly getting more and more frustrated by the hanyou, "Just… just…" 

"Just what huh?" retorted the hanyou. 

"Just SIT!" 

"Wha… OOMPF!" 

The mystical beads that old priestess Kaede had magically put around the hanyou's neck was still working its magic. It pulled Inu Yasha down with a loud crash. He lay there for several minutes, pinned to the ground from Kagome's last "sit" command. 

"Goodnight Inu Yasha" yawned Miroku as he settled into his covers for the night, "Next time try not to get Kagome mad before bedtime. It makes it hard for you to get any sleep." 

"O…k… oye…" the hanyou muttered, "Besides, this is a nice spot… to rest." He dozed off to sleep within a few minutes. He was going to need it anyway, tomorrow was going to be a long day, and he could feel it. 

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	4. Scroll 3: Lost and Found and Lost Again...

**View previous chapters for disclaimer.**

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**Scroll 3: Lost and found… and lost again!**

Inu Yasha was the first one awake the next day. He always was. It was the youkai in him, always prepared for battle, never really sleeping, just resting enough to be able to fight the next day. He sat on a limb of a nearby tree, his hands rested in the sleeves of his kimono as he watched over his comrades as they slept. Then suddenly he smelled it in the air. 

_Youkai…coming this way._

Inu Yasha jumped down from the tree and landed softly on the ground. He nudged the monk awake and signaled to him that a demon was coming toward them. Miroku jumped to his feet, his staff in hand. The stood ready to defend the rest of their companions against whatever was headed their way. 

"What do you think it is?" asked the monk. 

"I don't know, but it's coming this way… and FAST!" 

"What's coming this way?" asked a sleepy Kagome. She stood behind the two men rubbing the sleep away from her tired eyes, "You said something was coming and I wanna know what it is." 

"Great, you woke her up monk!" snapped Inu Yasha. 

"What! No I did not!" 

"Hey what's going on?" asked Sango apparently still tired as she tried to stifle a yawn. 

"Great, now everyone's awake… "mumbled the hanyou. 

"Well, not everyone," replied Kagome as she looked over to her sleeping bag. Shippo was still fast asleep, oblivious to the commotion going on around him. 

Inu Yasha's ears twitched a little as he put his nose in the air, "The scent… it's fading… it's not coming this way anymore…" 

"Or it stopped" finished Sango, "What do you think Kagome-san?" 

But Kagome wasn't paying attention to the demon hunter. Her eyes were focused toward one part of the forest, "Shards… of the Shikon jewel… there are some nearby, and I can feel it!" 

Miroku's eyes widened, "Perhaps the youkai that Inu Yasha sensed is carrying some fragments of the Shikon jewel." 

"If it is," began Inu Yasha, "we gotta find it fast before it gets away. Kagome, which way do you sense the shards are at?" 

Kagome pointed toward a grove of trees that lay to the south of their camp. 

"Alright then, let's get going." Inu Yasha grabbed Shippo by the tail and began walking in the direction Kagome indicated. 

"Eh… what's going on?" Shippo asked sleepily, "Is it time for breakfast already?" 

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Akemi reached a grove of trees and slumped onto the ground. She was tired from traveling all night. Her chest heaved heavily as she breathed in and out to catch her breath. 

_Phew…I'm so tired… I have to find Inu Yasha, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt if I rested…for a bit…_

Akemi fell asleep for only a few moments before the ground around her began to shake. She jumped to her feet and leapt into a nearby tree, eyeing the ground below her with intense eyes. Suddenly the earth broke open to reveal a huge mutated caterpillar. Its mouth gaped open exposing millions of sharp teeth. As it continued to crawl out of the ground, its legs sprawled out around it, taking down many trees in the process. 

_What… in the world?!_

"Where are you kitsune!" the creature hissed, "I have a message for you from Lord Naraku." 

Akemi's eyes widened. She dropped down from her perch and faced the monstrosity, "What is it?" 

"Sssss… did you think you could escape that easily from Lord Naraku, especially when you carry such…," it paused for a moment as it looked at her clenched hand, "precious cargo." 

Akemi pulled them closer to her body, "I will NEVER give them to you!" 

The creature growled menacingly, "YOU HAVE NO CHOICE!" 

The caterpillar like monster lunged at the vixen as she deftly dodged its attack. She sprang away from it quickly and leapt up towards a nearby branch. "Think you can get away from me that easily you wench!?" The demon-spawned messenger grabbed the trunk of the tree within its enormous mouth, biting off a large chunk of wood. The tree wobbled under the strain and finally came crashing to the ground, but not before the kitsune could escape. She pounced onto the ground and rolled away from the creature. 

_For a creature so big it sure is fast… I gotta do something!_

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"Did you guys hear that?!" exclaimed Sango as the group headed in the direction of the shards. 

"Yeah it sounded like it came from over there," Miroku pointed toward a grove of trees, "isn't that where Lady Kagome said she sensed the shards?" 

Inu Yasha's brow furrowed, "It sounds like a battle! Come on, we gotta hurry!" 

The hanyou took off ahead of the group while the others mounted the demon-cat Kirara and followed behind him. Inu Yasha swiftly leapt through the trees with grace and ease until he finally reached the area of the commotion. He landed quietly atop a branch as he spied the huge Caterpillar beast attacking some other demon. His eyes concentrated on the smaller figure darting in and out of danger. 

_ A kitsune…_

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Akemi couldn't stop moving for a second with that monster attacking her. Its moves were swift and deadly, one wrong step and she would be killed instantly. 

_I gotta find an opening for an attack…_

The creature lunged toward her once again, this time however it stopped in mid-leap and spat an enormous amount of fluid at her. It caught the fox on her legs and as soon as it made contact it began to solidify. 

"Ugh… what the hell is that stuff!" she screamed as the monster inched closer. 

"It makes it easier to trap my prey and devour them alive!" the creature cackled as it sprang forward for the kill. 

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"That fox is a goner if she doesn't get out of there quick," Inu Yasha mumbled to himself as he watched the caterpillar pin her down. Then something caught his eye, in the girl's hand. 

_Shikon shards!_

Inu Yasha sprang forward and landed deftly at the girl's feet. His sharp claws swiped away the substance that held the girl to the ground. The kitsune sprang away but not before she looked back at her savior. Her green eyes widened as she saw the man who stood before her. 

"Inu Yasha!" 

The hanyou looked at the vixen for a moment before he realized who she was, "A..Akemi? How…where…?" 

"No time for that now, that monster's attacking! Look out!" Akemi pushed Inu Yasha out of the way as the monstrous caterpillar attacked their spot. The girl was knocked viciously to the side, barely out of the way of danger. The monster growled ferociously, disappointed at the fact that all he managed to swallow were the bushes that surrounded them. 

The agile female rose to her feet quickly, "Now's my chance!" thought Akemi as the demon caterpillar seemed to be distracted by the enormous amount of leaves that occupied its mouth, "Kitsune bi!" A bluish flame escaped Akemi's hands and surrounded the caterpillar. 

"FOOL! Do you actually think your fox magic can work against me?!" bellowed the beast, "I will crush you!" The demon began to rush towards the young kitsune. 

_Good he's charging… I gotta time this right… 3…2…_

"AKEMI! Get out of the way!" yelled Inu Yasha as he ran toward his friend. 

"Now!" with that Akemi jumped high into the air and pulled out four kunai blades, "alrighty then, let's see if this'll work." She threw the kunai blades at the monster just as the caterpillar itself spit out more of its hardening fluid at the girl. The female kitsune couldn't dodge the impending attack and was hit full force by the substance. It covered her whole body this time and as it hardened, Akemi found it hard to breathe, let alone move. She began to fall toward the earth. 

"HA!" proclaimed the demon spawn, "those little blades won't stop me! HAHAHAA!" 

But during mid-flight the kunai blades lengthened to the size of long swords. As they raced toward their intended target, they increased in speed and pierced the caterpillar through the head and abdomen. The monster writhed in pain as the elongated kunai pinned it to the earth, "Why you… you… bitch…" 

The demon caterpillar began to disintegrate into dust, leaving behind only the kunai blades that had already returned to their normal size. Everything had happened so quickly that Inu Yasha barely had time to react. He was still in shock from seeing his long lost friend. Just then the rest of Inu Yasha's companions reached the area. Kagome noticed Inu Yasha sitting on the ground, dazzled by the recent events. 

"Inu Yasha! What happened?!" exclaimed Kagome as she threw herself into his arms, "You didn't get hurt did you? Was there a battle?" 

"There was a battle… Akemi was here. She killed that huge pile of dust which used to be a demon caterpillar." 

"AKEMI!" exclaimed the others in unison as they stared in amazement at the huge pile of ashes that once had shape and form. 

"She was here?!" asked an excited Shippo, "Where is she now?" The tiny kitsune looked around feverishly trying to catch a glimpse of his new idol. 

"Inu Yasha… are you sure she was here or that it was even her?" asked Sango, "I mean, I don't see anyone else around here." 

"No! I know what I saw and she was here!" screamed the hanyou, "SHE was the one fighting the demon. But I can't find her scent anywhere… it's like she disappeared." 

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End file.
